The present invention pertains to operable walls movable to partition large rooms into smaller rooms, and, in particular, to a system for automatically plumbing operable wall panels.
Operable walls or partitions, also known as movable wall panel systems, find useful application in a variety of venues, such as classrooms, offices, convention facilities and hospitals. In these venues, the operable walls can be moved along tracks from which they are suspended to efficiently compartmentalize interior space into a multitude of separate, smaller rooms.
One problem with many existing operable wall panels or partitions is that on occasion the panels have to be plumbed. In particular, the tracks from which the panels are suspended are preferably exactly horizontal. However, in some installations, such as where the structure to which the track is installed is or becomes uneven, the panel track may not be horizontal along the length of the track. Therefore, in order for the panels to be precisely vertical when suspended below the non-horizontal track segment, a plumbing function must be performed.
One existing design which allows automatic panel plumbing provides a pivoting capability whereby a panel outer frame is pivotably connected to an assembly internal to the panel to which typically two trolleys are attached, thereby in practice permitting the panel outer frame to pivot about that connection within the plane of the panel width relative to the track upon which it is mounted. One disadvantage of this type of system is that the current assembly provided within the panel allows too much sway by the panel for some applications. Furthermore, with such a design, and unless stops, such as screws that abut the pivot assembly, are employed as has been done previously, when a person pushes on the bottom of the panel in order to move it between its extended and stacked arrangements, the person may cause the panel corner opposite the corner on which pushing forces are applied to be pivoted into abutting contact with the track, which binds further panel movement.
Another potential problem with movable wall panel systems is that the track may be angularly displaced from vertical at various points along its length. Angularly displaced means that from the perspective of a person looking at a transverse cross-section of the track, the track is rotated within the plane of that transverse cross-section. While certain trolleys and their associated mounting assemblies to which the panel is attached might still function properly with angularly displaced tracks, other trolleys that may have more limited play are less able to accommodate such a displacement.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a panel plumbing system which overcomes these and other problems of the prior art.
The present invention provides a movable wall panel system with self-plumbing panels in which the panels are automatically plumbed to account for track unevenness or rotation. In one embodiment, the system allows for panel pivoting that moves the panel relative to its track mounted trolleys, which movement is spring dampened to avoid undesirable motion. In another embodiment, the system allows a panel to be pivoted about a point within its interior volume and in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the panel width to accommodate angular displacement or rotation of the track.
In one form thereof, the present invention provides a self-plumbing movable wall panel system including a wall panel, at least one trolley movable along a track, a pivot element connected to a depending member of the at least one trolley, the pivot element pivotally connected to the frame of the wall panel to allow relative motion therebetween, and at least one biasing member between the frame and the pivot element to resist the relative motion.
In another form thereof, the present invention provides a self-plumbing movable wall panel system including an overhead track, at least one trolley movable along the track, a wall panel, and means for suspending the wall panel from the at least one trolley such that the wall panel is free to pivot within at least one plane about at least one point, wherein the at least one point is located within an interior volume of the panel, and wherein the at least one plane includes a first plane aligned perpendicular to a room wall surface defining width of the panel.
In another form thereof, the present invention provides a self-plumbing movable wall panel system including an overhead track, a wall panel including a frame, a pivot element within an interior volume of the wall panel and including a pivot connection to the wall panel frame to allow the panel to pivot within a first plane relative to the pivot element, and a first trolley and a second trolley each movable along the track. Each of the first and second trolleys includes a depending member vertically extending through openings in a top portion of the panel frame and the pivot element. A distal portion of each of the depending members includes a pivot surface that engages an underside of the pivot element in weight supporting relationship, whereby movement of the first and second trolleys along the track moves the wall panel along the track between a wall-forming position and a storage position. The pivot surface and the pivot element underside are complementarily structured and arranged to permit pivoting about the pivot surface of the pivot element and the connected wall panel frame in a direction generally perpendicular to the first plane. The system also includes first and second biasing members between the frame and the pivot element to resist pivoting within the first plane of the wall panel relative to the pivot element, wherein the first trolley depending member and the first biasing member are disposed on one side of the pivot connection, and wherein the second trolley depending member and the second biasing member are disposed on the opposite side of the pivot connection.
One advantage of the present invention is that operable wall panels may be self, or automatically, plumbed.
Another advantage of the present invention is that a self-plumbing operable wall panel is provided with springs or other biasing elements to provide resistance to undesired panel swaying that incidentally could occur upon the application of forces during manual pushing of the panel along the track length.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that an operable wall panel is provided that is automatically plumbable both within and perpendicular to the plane of the wall panel width.